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Whatcom County, Washington lies in the northernmost region of the state, bordering British Columbia, Canada. The county covers more than 2,500 square miles of lush natural beauty, much of it being National Forest and Parkland. Fifty miles east of the county seat of Bellingham looms magnificent Mount Baker. Towering at almost 11,000 feet, this ice-clad volcano gives Washington State its longest ski season. The majority of Whatcom County is mountainous, though its western section lies along the coastline of Puget Sound. Bellingham's Squalicum Harbor, found ninety miles north of Seattle, is the second largest deep-water port on the Sound.

The early inhabitants of the region were the Nooksack Indians, whose reservation lies close to Bellingham. The tribe earns income today from its casino, as well as their marvelous crafts. Whatcom County was named after one of their Indian chiefs. Fur trappers and traders settled in the port area in the late 1700's, and then the lumber industry began to flourish inland. Washington incorporated the county in 1854. Discovery of coal and gold brought brief bursts of prosperity for the region, but the somewhat unstable landscape of this volcanic terrain caused disastrous cave-ins, and prospectors moved on. Natural resources still play a vital role in Whatcom County's economy, but agriculture, salmon canneries and shipbuilding add to its prosperity

The Census 2000 counted Whatcom County's population as over 166,000, scattered through nineteen cities, towns and villages. Four wonderful institutes of higher learning service the residents. Western Washington University, founded in 1893 is one of six state-funded, four-year schools in the state. Whatcom Community College and Bellingham Technical College offer a variety of two-year degrees, and the Northwest Indian College specifically serves the Native American residents.

The city of Sumas is one of the border-crossings into Canada. It is only two minutes from Abbotsford, BC, one of the fifth-largest cities in British Columbia, and Vancouver is less than an hour's drive. The town of Point Roberts is a bit of a geographic oddity. Situated on the tip of the Canadian Peninsula, it remains part of Whatcom County, but the only way to reach it, except by water, is to enter Canada and then re-enter the U.S. The 1,300 residents are proud of their 'almost heaven, almost Canada' town. The Lighthouse Marine Park on the western shore is considered one of the best sites to view Orca whales or magnificent sunsets. Lummi and Eliza Islands are tiny jewels of communities in beautiful Bellingham Bay. One of the fastest growing towns in Whatcom County is Birch Bay, located twenty miles north of Bellingham, just off Interstate 5. Boasting the warmest Pacific waters north of California, it also receives almost 25% less rain than neighboring Bellingham, making it a beachcombers Paradise. Crabbing and clamming provide local restaurants with the finest sea fare available in Birch Bay's downtown district.

The charming city of Blaine overlooks Drayton Harbor and draws its share of tourists each year. It too is a Canadian border crossing, and home to the Peace Arch State Park, where a monument stands with one part on American soil, and the other on Canadian land. Each year, a Hands Across the Border celebration is held, honoring the peace that exists between both nations. Other major cities in Whatcom County are Everson, Ferndale, Lynden and Nooksack.

To the east of the populated areas lies the rugged wilderness of the Cascade National Forest and Parklands area. A rich haven for wildlife, nature-lovers and sportsmen, the Cascades remain one of our true national treasures. Whatcom County, Washington, stretching across the mountains to the ocean really does it have it all.

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